Traffic or direction signaling apparatus



July 26, 1938. B. c. ROBBERSON ET AL 2,125,200

TRAFFIC OR DIRECTION SIGNALING APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 26, 1938 PATENT OFFICE TRAFFIC OR DIRECTION SIGNALING APPARATUS Benjamin C. Robberson and Emma A. Robberson, Seeley, Calif.

Application June 29,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a traffic or direction signaling apparatus.

The invention has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an apparatus of the class referred to adapted to be secured to and operated at will by the driver of an automotive vehicle to signal the direction of travel of the latter, without the necessity of the driver removing both hands from the vehicles steering 19 wheel or his feet from the vicinity of the clutch and brake pedals, thereby providing a signaling apparatus which may be operated with a maximum of safety and a minimum of effort.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an appara tus of the class referred to a relatively simple practical and eflicient device capable of being readily manipulated by the driver of the vehicle to which it is attached for the purpose of notifying the drivers of other vehicles, pedestrians and traffic officers of the direction of movement of that vehicle to which the apparatus is applied.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an appa- 2.5 ratus of the class referred to which is strong, durable, thoroughly emcient in its use, readily installed relative to an automotive vehicle, conveniently repaired when occasion requires and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:;

Figure l is a fragmentary View in perspective of an automotive vehicle loo-king at the interior thereof and showing the adaptation therewith of a signaling apparatus in accordance with this invention,

Figure 2 is a like view looking at the exterior of the automotive vehicle showing the adaptation therewith of the signaling apparatus,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in sectional plan of the apparatus,

Figure 4 is a section on line 4'4, Figure 3, when the apparatus is in signaling position,

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5, Figure 3, when the apparatus is in normal or non-signaling position,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in side eleva- 1936, Serial No. 88,023

tion of the steering post column of an automotive vehicle showing the adaptation therewith of the rotatable spring controlled operating element of the apparatus,

Figure '7 is a section on line Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in vertical section of the signal element, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view in vertical tion of a modified form of signal element.

SEC-

With reference to the drawings, the body of an automotive vehicle is designated I, a body side portion forwardly of a door 2, at 3 and the steering post column of the vehicle, at 4. The paratus is anchored to said side portion 3 ro-tatably connected to the column 4. The said apand side portion 3 is formed with two spaced parallel pairs of spaced aligning openings.

The openings of one spaced parallel pair of spaced aligning openings are indicated at 5 and those of other pair at 6.

the

The apparatus includes a semi-oval shaped closed housing I disposed on one of its lower The housing 1 comprises a lengthwise edges.

hollow body part 8 open at each side and having a flat inner wall 9 bearing against the outer face of the said portion 3, and a pair of flanged side cheeks l0, II which overlap the outer face of, are secured to and close the sides of body part 8. The said wall 9 is formed with a pair of spaced openings i2, l3 which register respectively with the outer openings 5, 6. The

side

ing I2 is a sleeve 18 formed with a flange l its outer end and with peripheral threads 2 at its inner end. The sleeve !3 is of greater length than the width of portion 3 and extends inwardly Mounted on sleeve l8 and abutfrom the latter.

ting the inner face of portion 3'15 a washer 26. The flange I9 abuts the outer face of wall 9.

Threadedly engaging with the sleeve l8 is a nut 22 which in connection with flange I9 clamps housing I to the said portion 3. The sleeve I8 constitutes a conduit for a shaft shifting cable 23 to be more fully referred to.

Extending through the pair of openings 5 and the opening I3 is a sleeve 24 formed with a flange 25 at its outer end and peripheral threads 26 at its inner end. The sleeve 24 is of greater length than the width of portion 3 and-extends inwardly from the latter. the inner face of portion 3 is a washer 21.

Mounted on sleeve 24 and abutting The on its return to normal.

flange 25 abuts the outer face of wall 9. Threadedly engaging with the sleeve 24 is a nut 28 which in connection with the flange 25 provides an additional clamp for securing housing 1 to the said portion 3. The sleeve 24 constitutes a conduit for an electrical conductor 29 leading from the headlight terminal on the instrument board of the vehicle.

Journaled in theopenings l4, I5 of the side cheeks I 0, II respectively, as well as the bosses I6, I! is a signal element operating shaft 30 extended outwardly from said bosses and formed in a manner to prevent the disconnecting thereof from housing I. The shaft 30 is tubular and formed with an opening 3|. The shaft 30 has fixedly secured thereto, for bodily movement therewith a contact member 32 carrying a terminal 33 for a circuit connection 34 of a lighting- :circuit. The connection 34 extends through opening 3i into the shaft 30 andleads to an electric lamp carried by a signaling element to be referred to. The shaft 30 has fixedly secured thereto, for bodily movement therewith, a semicircular spring controlled carrier member 35 for the cable 23. The cheek l carries an inwardly extending bolt 36 to which one end of the controlling spring 31 for member 35 is attached. The spring is disposed between shaft 30 and the housing wall 9 and has its other end attached to member 35. The spring 31 is to ensure prompt return of the signal element against wind resistance.

Carried by the housing wall 9 is an insulated support 38 to which is attached a curved contact member 39 having the terminal 4!] of conductor 29 connected thereto as at 4|. The contact members 33, 39 coact for opening and closing the lighting circuit for the lamp in the signaling element.

Secured upon one end terminal portion of the shaft 35, exteriorly of the housing 1, by the holdfast means 42 is the tubular stem 43 of a signaling element. .In Figures 2 and 8 the signaling element is indicated at 44 and in Figure 9 at 45. The signaling elements will be more fully referred to. 1

The curved edge of member 35 is grooved as at ll. The cable 23 is arranged within groove 4'! and has one of its ends fixed to member 35 at one end of the groove 41, as atflB. The cable 23 extends from the other end of groove 47! outwardly through sleeve IS. The member 35 intermediate the ends of its groovededge is formed with a radially disposed abutment 49 capable of impacting the bolt 36 for arresting the movement of the signal element within 45 of the vertical The apparatus includes a manually operated spring controlled suspended structure 55 for shifting the cab-1e 23 toprovide for the disposing of the signal element in its signaling positions. The said structure is suspended from column 4 and includes a handle bar i in convenient reach of the-driver of the car. The bar 5| extends upwardly at a forward inclination relative to column and is provided with a hand grip 52. The structure 5%) not only includes the bar 5!, but also an upstanding shaft 53 inclining rearwardly from its lower to its upper end, a crank army 54, a controlling spring 55, a latching member 56,

superposed annular bearings 51, 58, superposed clamping devices 59, till and a series of keepers El for member 56. The shaft 53 is disposed in parallel spaced relation to the front of column 4, merges at its upper end into the rear end of of stem 43.

handle bar 5!, is mounted in the bearings 51, 58, extends above bearing 51 and depends from bearing 58. The crank 54 is anchored by the holdfast means 62 to the lower end of shaft 53, extends upwardly at a forward inclination relative to the latter and is formed at itsforward end with an eye 63 to which the other end of the cable 23 is anchored. The controlling spring 55 surrounds shaft 53 between bearing 58 and crank arm 54 and is anchored at one end to bearing 58 and at its other end to the crank arm 54. The spring 55 not only provides means for returning structure 50 to normal position but also acts as a means for releasably maintaining the latching member 56 in a selected keeper 5! to hold the structure 5!] in position when shifted from normal. Each of the clamping devices 59 and 60 consists ofa yoke 64 and a clamping strap 65 having a curved seat 55. The yokes 64 encompass and extend forwardly from column 5. The arms of the yokes extend through the ends of the straps 55. Holdfast means 55 are carried by the arms of the yokes and bear against the straps. When the holdfast means 66 are screwed home, the bases of the yoleos 54 and the seats 56 on the straps 65 bind against column 4 whereby the latter and said'clamping devices are fixedly secured together. The said clamping devices also constitute suspensions for the bearings 51, 58. The bearing 57 is formed integral with and centrally of the top of the strap 65 of the clamping device 59 and extends upwardly from such strap at a forward inclination. The bearing 5? also provides a support for a collar 5? integral with shaft 53 at a point between its transverse center and its upper end The bearing 58 is formed integral with and centrally of the bottom of the straps 55 of the clamping device 59 and extends upwardly from said strap at a forward inclination.

The latching member 56 is in the form of a V- shaped lugintegral with and radially disposed on the lower face of collar 57. The keepers Bl are in the form of spaced radially disposed V-shaped grooves formed in the upper face. of bearing 51. The lug constituting the latching member extends from the outer edge of collar Bl to shaft 53. The grooves which provide the keepers extend from the outer to the inner edge of bearing The signal element 431s of circular form and includes an opaque band 46 formed with an integral hollow neck 69 for receiving the outer end The band and stem are anchored together by the holdfast means 70. The element 53 includes a pair of spaced, transparent or translucent discs H, 'IZ'arranged within band 56 and each having a white portion 13 and a red portion M in the shape of an arrow. The discs ll, l2 are suitably secured to band 46. The signal element 55 consistsof a hollow translucent or transparent member 15 of a form simulating the appearance of the human hand and wrist close-d at its sides and outer end and open at its inner end. Ex-

I tending into the inner end of member '35 is the outer end of stem 43. The latter and member l5 are anchored together by the holdfast means '56.

Arranged within the outer end portion of stem 43 is a support W for an electric lamp 78. A reflector i9 is carried by support H.

The keepers 6i are so disposed that on coacting with latching member 56 will hold the sig nal element vertically at right angles to the axis of shaft 35; that another will hold the signal element upwardly at an obtuse angle relative to shaft 30; that another will hold the signal element at an acute angle relative to shaft 30; and that the other will hold the signal element horizontally at right angles to shaft 30. The structure 50 is not only rotatably, but also slldably mounted in the bearings 51, 58.

What we claim is:-

1. In a traflic or direction signaling apparatus of that type including a signal shifting and illuminating mechanism, the combination of an upstanding rearwardly inclined support, spaced upper and lower U-shaped yokes embracing said support, clamping straps with concave seats fittingly engaging said support, said straps having perforated ends receiving the ends of said U- shaped yokes, a perforated bearing member integrally formed on each strap midway between its ends, an inclined rotatable shaft disposed in lengthwise relation through said bearing members, said shaft being slidably mounted and having a handle bar at its upper end, a crank arm connected to the lower end of the shaft, said handle bar and crank arm extending upwardly at a forward inclination, a pulling cable connected to the crank arm and adapted to operate said mechanism, a controlling spring for said shaft interposed between the lower bearing member and said crank arm, and said upper bearing member and said shaft above said upper bearing having coacting means for latching said shaft in selected position when rotated from normal.

2. In a trafiic or directionv signaling apparatus of that type including a shiftable illuminable signal, the combination of a housing and anchoring structure therefor, a horizontally disposed shaft carried by said housing for moving the signal to and from signaling position, a revoluble actuating semi-circular member attached to said shaft, a stop lug extending radially from the curved edge of said semi-circular member, a stop pin fixed within the housing and positioned in the path of the lug, a controlling spring connected at one of its ends to said pin and at its other end to the most distant point of said semi-circular member, operating means for the signal, and said spring engaging and looped around said shaft to properly tension the same and assuming an obtuse angle with the shaft as an apex in the normal non-signaling position and being further tensioned to assume an acute angle with the shaft as an apex when said semi-circular member is revolved to signaling position.

BENJAMIN C. ROBBERSON. EMMA A. ROBBERSON. 

